//------------------------------// // Dream [10] // Story: Stories in Stone, Capricorn's Curse // by TDR //------------------------------// Stories in Stone Capricorn's Curse By TDR Dream Fire. The air was filled with fire, one couldn't breath without scorching their lungs. The sky itself seemed ablaze, choked with thick black smoke and flames. The roar of the fires filled her ears, a symphony of devastation with a chorus of dying screams adding an accompaniment. The deep base like booms and crashes as wall and buildings collapsed and tumbled creating a terrible melody that seemed the end of all things. Despite the state of it she recognized this place. How could she not? It was her home. She turned as the monument arch over the great stairway fell, the stone shattering on the stairs and tumbling down them rolling over the chard and eviscerated bodies lining the stairs. There were one or two shrieks of those not quite dead as the massive stones rolled over them, though mostly the sound was just of rock striking rock with the occasional squelch as a rock pulped a body in passing as they tumbled down the steps towards the remains of the Ponyville district. Behind her a thunderous boom sounded as the Castle itself fell. The newly rebuilt structure was reenforced and rebuilt far stronger than ever before and now it was little more than a still burning pile of rubble, it was gone. The place she grew up was nothing now. New Canterlot was no more. Rynthia shivered, her eyes scanning over everything as she shook standing in the one spot that seemed to not be burning, but it was soaked in blood, blood that seemed to ooze off her hooves and her limbs. Her fur was sticky with it... She had done this she had killed every...... “Wow Stripy, this is pretty dark.... have you been reading mommies horror novels again?” a chipper voice all but shouts from behind her. Rynthia yelped leaping into the air, whirling in place to see a burning figure standing before her now. It appeared to be a black alicorn with an amber mane and tail, though the chard flesh and melting skin made her question that even. Unlike the other burning figures this one didn't seem to notice it was on fire. Or even acknowledge it was in any pain. In fact it sounded like.... “Dawn?” Rynthia questioned. “Who else would it be Stripy? Well maybe Fluffy Butt or Brainy.... both of them are pretty smart.” Dawn rambled. “ But I haven't seen them yet, soooooooo maaaay be the spell worked?” “What!? Well this is new..... what, what has happened to you?” Rynthia stammered looking at the gory mess of her sister. “Well despite what I wanted I took a nap cause you guys wanted me too. I went through a stupid dream about daddy getting killed by some stupid monster and I couldn't help but laugh at it cause no way ever daddy'd get killed by something that looked like a bowl of lime jello that had gotten loose. Then everything went all swirly and stary for a moment then I caught your scent and flew through a window and I wound up here.” Dawn answered. “ Though honestly I think I'd rather deal with the jello monster, this place is just icky...” Rynthia blinked at that. A dream? Of course it was a dream, she would never do anything to New Canterlot, nor any one in it. The Zebra filly closed her eyes tight, the screams and crackle of the flames fading as she fought to control her fear of this happening, not something that was fully possibly, but when she opened her eyes she was greeted by her undamaged Kirin shaped sister floating in front of her, stretched out on her back on her back giggling as she spun around in mid air her wings fanning madly to keep her spinning. Rynthia lifted her head looking around seeing nothing but darkness filled with countless stars. The Zebra filly drew in a sharp breath in awe as she floated in the stary void. “Pretty ain't it?” Dawn grinned spinning in the air and chasing her own tail. “ Gets boring after a while, but it kinda changes every so often.” “I did not expect that I would soar.... wait, you have been here before?” Rynthia asked. “Yeah, when I was like real little I remember coming here with mommy all the time. I don't remember much but I know I'm kinda comfortable here. And I think all these little dots every where are other ponies.” Dawn sweeps her arms wide gesturing to the massive collection of stars in the void. “This place still seems amiss, I do not think the spell was supposed to do this.” Rynthia commented. “This is the place where mommy used to walk between dreams back before auntie Twilight took over.” Dawn stated getting a confused glance from Rynthia that her sister was teaching her something. “The book said it would lead here but I never thought.....” “It would be this pretty?” Dawn grinned cutting off the rhyme though Rynthia didn't seem to notice. “Where are the others, are they near? Every one was supposed to be here.” “Probably same as you were, stuck in a dream... I found you and I can smell Buggy and 3p. Auntie Cadence makes them use that icky soap for washing up and I can't not smell it.” Dawn gags. “Then we have no time to wait, let us find them before it's too late.” ================================================= [Six years after the defeat of Tirek, late winter.] Elusive yawned softly looking out the window of his room in Darwhinny keep. He and Talon were both here, having been brought along by uncle Jer'rahd on one of his rare trips to the island. He wasn't sure why, but neither his mother [Twilight] nor mom[ Celestia] really cared for the island. Auntie Luna and Uncle Jer'rahd were the same way, but at least he understood Uncle Jer'rahd's dislike, his mom said he was allergic to paperwork and he had to do a lot of it when he came here. Neither of his parents would really say why, though Elusive was smart enough to know it likely had to deal with his real mom and dad. That was a subject his mother never wanted to bring up, and when he asked it often made his mother cry so he stopped asking. He wasn't sure why Talon was brought along though, likely to keep him company, though his Hippogryph friend spent all his time in one of the islands libraries. During the war with Tirek a sizable number of Kirin had stayed behind during the evacuation trying to save all the history of their race that they could. Most were killed by Tirek during the few days where he sought to obliterate the island. Though threw the sacrifices of those scholars, Gallopagos still had nearly all of it's thousand years of history saved, thus after the war it was the largest collection of historical knowledge outside the Crystal Empire, and the Kirin even had books that the Crystal Empire did not. This made it especially weird that his mother didn't like this place. Elusive rather liked it though. The old palace was gone, turned to dust along with most of the original city, but it wasn't the building, it was the land itself. It just felt.... like he was supposed to be here. He didn't know how to explain it. Any further thought in the matter was cut off by a knock at the door to his room. He blinked at that, Talon wouldn't knock and he was the only one who Elusive expected to show up. “Elusive, you awake?” a voice questioned making the white Kirin's ears perk as a gray furred and amber maned figure poked his head in. “Uncle Jer'rahd sir!” Elusive stammered not expecting Jer'rahd to come visit him, particularly not while he was supposed to be holding court. “What did you need sir? I thought you were in court?” “I still am, we broke for a recess. There's a case coming up I want you to sit in on. You don't need to do anything but listen. But I will want your opinion on it in the end.” The seven year old Kirin blinked at that before nodding and following along after the larger Kirin. Mother and mom said uncle Jer'rahd wasn't really a Kirin, and he certainly didn't look like Elusive, but he was close enough to be counted as one now, and Elusive didn't care about the specifics any way. Jer'rahd and Elusive were immediately flanked by two Guards that Elusive knew immediately, Elecktra and Talia. The pair of them had come back to Gallopagos with their families rather than stay to guard him in Canterlot, though the pair of them immediately took to their old duties the moment Elusive set hoof on the island. The pair of them split off form Jer'rahd, guiding him to one of the balconies lining the great hall and to a seat that gave him a good view of the floor below, but where few if any others aside from those by the thrones could see him. Jer'rahd sat down at a small desk in front of the thrones, choosing not to sit in either of them despite the fact he was the regent. The two thrones were reconstructions of the thrones used by his parents. One was a black onyx draped with greens and blues, though relatively unadorned with anything fancy. The other was a white pearl throne with three blue diamonds set in a pattern above the head of who ever sat in the soft royal purple velvet cushions. Unlike the black throne, this one was carved in insane details and designs. The thrones of his parents. Well recreations any way. “Look to those in the stands Lord Elusive. “ Talia commented. Elusive swallowed as he looked down over the edge of the balcony at those gathered in the court directly below him. On one side of the room in the rows of seats set up for the court were a mixed group of ponies and Kirin, most of them seemed to be of noble stature. At the very least their clothing seemed rich. On the other side of the room in a near identical selection of seats were another group of ponies and Kirin, though there were a number of changelings on this side as well. A trio of ponies were sitting at the front of seats and given a bit of space by the others stood out to him for some reason. Two males and a female. The older male looked horrified and distraught over something. The younger male and female about the same age as the older male seemed about ready to leap from their seats and murder some one. The doors below him burst open and the crowd started to mummer among themselves. Two massive Kirin Guards brought forth a chocolate furred and golden maned unicorn pony bound in chains, marching him through the middle of the court to stand before the desk. Two other official looking ponies moved forward to to stand on either side of the desk that Jer'rahd sat behind. One was a black furred male Kirin with a slick suit and slicked back hair, the other was a blond colored Kirin mare with a yellow colored mane and tail who seemed perpetually annoyed. The prisoner seemed undeterred as he marched on with the air of triumph despite his chains. “Last case of the day sir.” the male well dressed Kirin by Jer'rahd spoke. “I know this one Fielding. Bailiff read the charges.” Jer'rahd stated briefly looking up at the pony in chains before lowering his head to go over a stack of paper work before him. A massive minotaur that Elusive had some how missed coughed lightly and ran a hand between his horns and over his bald head. He wore a uniform like the Guard though Elusive could see a name tag on his massive chest that read 'Tannon'. “Yes sir. The accused is Golden Savior, birth name of Bark Beetle, owner of Golden Holistics and Alchemy supply at three six one, 22nd street. Accused is charged with first degree premeditated murder, resisting arrest, attempting to start a riot, treasonous slander against the crown, and willful endangerment.” The minotaur stated. “How do you plead?” Jer'rahd demanded not really seeming paying attention. “Not guilty of course. Save to the slander bit. I think you are doing a shit job as regent.” Golden stated with a smirk. “Noted, charge dropped as being irrelevant, I don't care what any one says about me and every one is welcome to their opinions. “ Jer'rahd stated waving a hoof in the air and signing something else as the Kirin mare made a note of what was said. “ What of the rest of it? Same plea?” “Of course. I didn't kill any one, I swatted a bothersome insect.” The chained pony stated. The entire court suddenly went silent at that. A few of the Guards spared a glance at Jer'rahd who had finally lifted his head from his paperwork to stare at the pony before him. “Excuse me?” Jer'rahd demanded. “Did I stutter? All I did was squash a bug. To be honest you should all be giving me a freaking parade, that's one less insect that we need to destroy. They should all be wiped out.” “The Changelings you mean? All of them, infants as well?” “Of course all of them especially the larva, they'll only grow up to threaten us, kill them before they get a chance.” “Genocide. You're talking about the extinction of a race.” Jer'rahd stated flatly. The bailiff and the two Kirin on the other side of the table looked quickly between the gray and orange Kirin seated on one side of the table and the black and gold maned unicorn stallion on the other. The three of them and a number of Guards seemed rather nervous for some reason. “Crap.... it's going off the rails. Talia we need to get the young lord out of here before he loses it......” Elecktra began though Talia shook her head looking down to meet Jer'rahd's gaze as he glanced up to them. “Lord Elusive. I believe this is something you may need to pay close attention too.” Talia stated. Jer'rahd sighed reaching a hoof up to scratch a bit of fur growth under his chin. It wouldn't be the first time he tried to grow a beard, though he would likely shave the moment it was long enough for Luna to poke fun of his attempt. “I take you have some sort of issue with the Changelings then?” Jer'rahd stated calmly. His comment confusing the Guards around as several kept glancing towards his eyes as if expecting something. Elusive was rather confused by their antics, but he didn't want to ask as he might miss what some one said. “They attacked us, killed thousands, how many others have they foal napped, or drained to husks over the years, they should have all been wiped out when we had the chance...” Golden Savior ranted getting a few boos and curses from the crowd, though a rather sizable number of cheers or at least sounds of encouragement. Most of the praise came from the well to do side of the court, but not all. “I take you did not read any of the books that have been published, seen any of the pamphlets passed out about Changelings, since their acceptance into Equestrian society?” Jer'rahd questioned. “Slanderous Rubbish, that propaganda isn't fit to read...” “Willful ignorance.” Fielding muttered. “It is not willful ignorance to protect yourself from lies.....” Golden shouted. “Tell me Bark did you lose any one in Canterlot to either of the Changeling attacks on the city?” Jer'rahd demanded. “It's Golden!” “Bark, answer the question.” Jer'rahd said flatly not seeming to care about the name change. “ Any family, friends, pets, anyone?” Bark was silent a moment as he stared at the Kirin behind the desk. “No. I was a resident of Manehatten at the time. Most of my family lives in Seaddle.” Golden admited. “Places that the Changelings never came any where near. In fact places that we are well aware had few if any infiltrators in at all.” Jer'rahd commented. “ Does it matter where I lived, it's easy to see the evil in these things. You only defend them because you're married to one. Your views are prejudice any way, you're likely controlled and shouldn't be allowed to lead any way. This court is a farce!!” Golden roared, the crowd behind him roaring along with him with angry shouts. Some yelling that he was correct others screaming about how he was a fool. Jer'rahd sat still, his eyes closed as he listened to every one around him rant, his ears slowly flattening to his head as the screaming match continued. The Guards and the court ponies seemed unsure of what to do for a moment, though the Guards at least had moved forward trying to calm the crowd. Elusive was rather confused at why his Uncle was letting this go on. He could have stopped everything didn't this pony kill some one? Jer'rahd opened his eyes looking up at the balcony as the ranting continued. His red and green gaze meeting Elusive's aqua colored eyes before he lowered his head again focusing on the unicorn in chains before him. His horn lit green briefly, a color matched by a small gem on the desk before him. “Silence.” The order though spoken softly boomed though the hall, the reverberation of the sound crystal shaking the core of the building and causing a few of those gathered to fall out of their chairs in surprise. The Guard's tensed as they looked back at him though Jer'rahd looked a little sheepish at the sudden explosion of sound himself. Jer'rahd's magic faded from the stone as he put a hoof over it and slid it over to the Kirin mare. “Miss Sullivan please have the mages turn this down a few notches, that was a bit too much.” “Yes sir. Though you must admit it was effective.” The mare stated taking the stone and putting it in one of her saddle bags. “Now do I have every ones attention ? Good. Let us start with the beginning here. First off I did not marry a Changeling. I married the Goddess of the Night, one of the rulers of Equestria. Granted she did not marry a Kirin, she married a pony, but I digress. Princess Luna, became a Changeling voluntarily in order to save Equss itself from Tirek.......” “More propaganda....” Golden started jerking back when Jer'rahd lept up from his chair slamming both hooves down onto the top of the desk with enough force to shatter one of the legs and put a large crack in the surface of it. “BARK, SHUT UP WHEN I AM TALKING OR SO HELP ME I WILL PERSONALY TEAR OUT YOUR TONGUE AND FLOG YOU TO DEATH WITH IT JUST TO SEE IF I CAN!!” Jer'rahd roared his eye flaring a brilliant crimson. A faint cough from above drew the pissed off Regents attention to the upper balcony where Talia and Elecktra glared down at him. Elusive had his head sandwiched between both of his Guard's hooves over his ears to block out the sound in case Jer'rahd started swearing. Jer'rahd rolled his eyes and sunk back down into the chair, taking note of how much the desk swayed now, though a pair of Guards had already brought in another desk to replace it. This was clearly not a new thing. “Sorry about that, let me continue this, where was I? Oh right, right now ninety percent of all Changelings, used to be something else. There are very very few natural blooded Changelings, and most of the ones that are natural born, at least seventy to eighty percent of them, were born in the last six years so they are still very young.” Jer'rahd continued. “ The mare in question, twenty two year old Hazel Lollipop was one such transformed Changeling. She was abducted during the invasion of Canterlot sixteen years ago when she was six. She was changed and forced to serve the hive under Chrysalis as a mindless drone and even after the death of Chrysalis she was a catatonic until five years ago when Luna started repairing the damage Chrysalis had done. When she was freed she underwent years of therapy due to shock at the fact she had just lost eleven years of her life that she would never recall or get back. Those PONIES seated behind you are her parents and her brother!!” Jer'rahd points a hoof to the trio of ponies who sat in the front of the court. He rises from his chair trotting around the broken desk, moving to look Golden in the face, his fangs bared. “They just got her back after thinking she was dead for ten years, their youngest child, who they thought was lost to them was returned. They bent over backwards to make her feel welcomed again, despite the fact she wasn't even a pony any more, they still treated her as their daughter, as family, because she was!” Jer'rahd growled his eye glowing brighter the more he spoke, the red light reflecting off the scales of his muzzle giving the impression that he was smeared with bright blood as the orange scales shimmered. “What you did Bark.... was stalk, foal nap, torture, and kill a young mare who had JUST started to live a normal life again. One of the few success stories we have regarding reuniting converted Changelings and their families. And because of your willful stupidity, because of your mindless and pointless thoughts of revenge that's all gone now.” He pulled away from the stallion in disgust his tail whipping. “I don't even need to look over the other charges against you. This cowardly act of murder out does any thing any of the other charges might have brought against you. The Guard found her body at your residence, your neighbors have already given their documentation when they reported the screams to the Guard. The evidence is overwhelmingly damning and I find you guilty as charged.” “You can't do that, I demand a jury of peers!” Golden screamed. “This isn't Equestria Bark Beetle. This is Gallopagos. The rules here were set six years ago. There is no jury of peers for this sort of crime because we do not often allow any murders to remain alive long enough to sit on a jury, those would be your only peers. Here you are judged by the Regent or one of the magistrates and that has been done. You have lived here for three years you cannot claim ignorance of the law. Even if you did ignorance of the law is not a defense for breaking it.” The rumble of discussion in the room lifted to a small roar until Jer'rahd slapped a hoof against the remains of his desk silencing them. “Normally an execution would be arraigned, but being as this is a hate crime that I want never to repeat any where ever again, I am going to set a precedence here. Perhaps this will make others think twice before attempting what you did.” “Fielding, Sullivan take note.” Jer'rahd stated glancing to the court Kirin before sitting down on his chair again. “Golden Savior, birth name of Bark Beetle, under Equestrian court you would be sentenced time by being turned to stone and left to rot for your crimes. I find that too lenient. Instead you are to be sentenced too Alpalcatraz prison in the Marena trench. Your horn will be removed, you will be hobbled and gelded before spending the rest of your life in the mines of the prison. Your name shall stricken from all records as having ever existed, your property shall be liquidated to pay for your victims funeral expenses and and family grief counciling as needed. What ever remains shall be used to promote better understanding between Changeling and Pony, attempting to combat ignorance like yours. Sentence is to be carried out immediately, take him out of here.” Jer'rahd ordered as the Guard moved forward collecting the pony in chains who was now screaming and begging fearfully as he was drug out. The rest of the room was silent , all of them staring at the regent with mixed looks of horror or acknowledgment of justice being served. Jer'rahd looked over to the family of the victim and nodded to them slightly. “I know this will not bring your daughter back, but hopefully no one else will suffer as you did after this ruling. I thank you for coming out today despite how hard it must have been for you.” Jer'rahd rose from the desk letting the Guards pull it away to replace it with the new one. “ Bailiff I believe I shall end court for today. Prosecutor Fielding, Defense Sullivan , please push anything else today until tomorrow I expect I will need to extend my stay to deal with the issues arising from this. But for today I'm done. Court adjourned.” ---------------------------------------------------------- A little over an hour later Jer'rahd was walking down on of the new sandstone streets of the city alongside Elusive with his two Guards in tow. “So what did you think Elusive? Do you have any questions about what you saw? About what I did?” Jer'rahd asked. “ Do not be afraid to ask them.” Elusive moved along with him considering this as the small group made it's way down the street getting a few nods from some passerby's though most gave them a with berth. “If you knew that he was guilty, why let him speak at all? Why not just sentence him?” Elusive finally asked. “ It would be quicker.” Jer'rahd nodded. “A good question, but there was a reason for allowing him to rant as he did. Did you see how some of the others in court reacted. Some agreed with him. Changelings are still a rather sore subject for many despite there not being a reason for them to be anymore. If anything the Changeling race is more inclined towards peace and prosperity than any other race simply due to a peaceful, harmonious society will generate more love than a warring or violent one. Without a Queen seeking revenge, forcing them to follow her thoughts, it's unlikely natural born Changelings will even have any leanings towards violence. Ponies generally do not either, however ponies and many others will do things if they are scared that normally they would never do. In this instance many saw nothing wrong with how Bark acted. If I had simply sentenced him, word of what he had truly done would have been lost in the media screaming about how unfair the sentencing was. It was regrettably turned into a show for everyone, but with the full reveal of his actions and how he reacted to such displayed for everyone at once swayed more against him than in favor of. With the harsh sentencing I gave, word of this will be on every ones lips for some time and any one else who thought doing something stupid like that was a good idea will hopefully reconsider now that they know the penalty.” “Wasn't that punishment too harsh? Every one seemed shocked by it, though I don't know what most of the words meant. Or what Alpacatraz is. But every one seemed horrified.” Elusive asked. “Alpalcatraz is part of an agreement we made with the Seaponies through the River pony intermediaries. Several nations are in the same deal where the Seaponies take our worst prisoners to work their under sea mines, they in turn trade the ore back to use for what ever they may need. It lessens the risk to their own workers to have criminals working instead. If they do not work they do not eat, if they cause trouble they are executed. Even with those who have nothing to live for any more the survival instinct is strong enough to keep them going. The hobbling and Gelding are both done magicaly so there is no pain, it is to prevent them from .. ummm.. making any foals with any other prisoners while down there and the hobbling is primarily on their back legs to make it harder to rise up or attempt to fight. Horn removal however cannot be done magically and … it is obviously, not pleasant.” “That seems rather harsh.....” Elusive mentions as the small group nears the docks. “It is. But as I said I needed to send a message. What I hope you learn from this is you can't simply focus on what is in front of you as a leader, everything needs to be accounted for. Every choice you make will affect far more than just the immediate issue.” “So this was a lesson.” Elusive snorted. “ It was. So what would you have done?” Jer'rahd asked. “I.... I don't know.....”Elusive admited as Jer'rahd chuckled. “ Honest answer. It's fine, you have plenty of time. Twilight and Celestia will likely show you things such as this as well. While I think they are too soft, they think I am too hard. How we govern still works, but we have opposing view points and ways of looking at things. I'm sure you will discover your own balance in time Just be honest with yourself and others. Creatures will lie to you to win your favor or to sway you to what they want. Stay true to what you believe is right and don't get swayed. Any way we are here.” Jer'rahd stated stopping at a large open area in the middle of the street. To the right Elusive could see a number of shops lining the road including one at the end that looked sorta like a big top tent, set at the very end of the street and taking up a whole block by itself. A number of windows with various forms of clothing ran along the facing side. In large letters across the top was a sign spelling out the name' Carousel Boutique. To the left, the road ran down to a docks, numerous statues and monuments lined the street as it ran down and into the water The street seemed to just stop, a massive half circle bite taken out of the land. In the middle of the half circle what would be the center of a full circle was a towering white spire that rose up out of the water and glimmered brightly as the sun fell on it. Before them in the middle of the road was a small fenced in area. A section of melted street that had not been repaved was the only thing inside the fence. The blackened circle little more than smoothed volcano glass with a fence around it. In the middle of the glass however, a black spear rested, embedded in the ground, the haft of the weapon was covered in various runes and a white strip of cloth fluttered lightly around the base of it, the material wrapped tight around the shaft. “This is......” Elusive stammered. “This is where your parents gave their lives to save others. The actions of your father saved the lives of numerous Kirin trying to board the ships that would let them flee Tirek and certain death. “ Jer'rahd pointed to the Spear then to the white monument in the water. “ The actions of your mother saved the fleeing ships and countless more lives including that of Twilight Sparkle and you.” Elusive blinked noting a number of Kirin had slowed as they moved down the street, pausing to watch him and Jer'rahd. “Every action has consequence. The ones your parents saved could go on to do great things, cure diseases, right wrongs. But ponies like Bark were also saved, had he died here the Changeling he killed would still be alive and the family he broke would still be whole.” Elusive said nothing for a time. “How... how can you tell ? Who's a good one and not?” The Kirin colt finally asked. “You can't. You simply need to hope that what you do will have more benefit to every pony than any negatives. You can hedge your bets, study every angle and play the odds and you might be able to keep the good out weighing the bad. But sometimes you simply need to go with what your gut tells you and hope it's the right choice.” “Do you think they made the right choice?” “They saved countless lives with their sacrifice. It would have been best if they had been around to raise you, but life does not always work out the way we want. You either have to roll with what you are given or fight back tooth and hoof for every step. “Jer'rahd stated. “Some times neither is enough. Come on.” Jer'rahd walked forward to the fence as Talia moved ahead unlocking a small gate that lead onto the blackened area. Even more Kirin had gathered at this point watching and muttering among themselves as Elusive approached the spear. Jer'rahd moved forward towards the spear gesturing towards it for Elusive. “This spear is called Thurkear Ner. It is one of very few remaining artifacts that were created during the Equestrian Civil war or the War of Night as some call it. I helped make this weapon and a number of others like it for my best soldiers. I gave this spear to your grandfather personally. It was passed down to your father. It is currently yours.” “It's stuck in the ground.” Elusive stated looking at the haft of the weapon, the runes covering it glowing brighter as he moved forward. “If you are worthy of it, you can easily pull it free.” Jer'rahd stated flatly as a hush fell over the gathered Kirin. Elusive blinked at that, moving over to the spear, one hoof reaching up to touch it, the weapon seeming to chime at his light touch. The little white Kirin swallowed, trying to wrap his hooves around the haft, pulling a little with no effect. He bit down on it and tugged harder, the weapon didn't move. Finally he wrapped the whole thing in his magic yanking hard on it and straining, his little tail whipping wildly before he fell back wards tumbling away from the weapon only to be caught by Jer'rahd before he rolled into the fence. There were a few chuckles and a number of disappointed groans from those gathered. Though there was also a small amount of applause and calls of encouragement before the gathered Kirin moved on. “I guess it doesn't think I'm worthy.” Elusive pouts. Jer'rahd chuckled leading him out of the fence as Talia locked it behind them. “It's not the spear that doesn't think you are worthy, it's just some metal trapped in stone easily freed with some effort. The weapon wasn't keeping you from taking it, it's you who does not think yourself worthy to pull it. After what I've shown you today you are likely highly conflicted that you have it in you to lead any one. Don't worry, as much as I would like you to grow up so I can pass the leadership of the Kirin off to you I don't expect to be able to do that for quite a while yet. You have a lot of growing and learning yet to do before you will need to concern yourself with all this political nonsense. There will come a time when you know you are ready and then you should be able to pull it free.” Jer'rahd blinked looking down at the foal who held a piece of paper before himself and was working on some sort of design for what looked like a crane to try and pull the spear free. Elusive didn't seem too have been paying attention tot he older Kirin and was rapidly sketching something else out that looked like it involved several explosions and a lever with enough length that he would need to be on the moon to use it. “Ummm.” Jer'rahd looked at the plains recognizing how much explosive Elusive was designing in and recalled the Catapult the foal and his friend had built. “Alright maybe that's enough seriousness for today, perhaps we should just get some ice cream on the way back. And maybe forget the plans....”